First Hajj flight from India arrives in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, Aug 28: The first Hajj flight from India carrying 235 pilgrims has arrived in Madinah in Saudi Arabia. Air India flight AI 5001 arrived yesterday at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Madinah from Kolkata.

The pilgrims were received at the Prince Mohammed International Airport by India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hamid Ali Rao, Consul General of India, Jeddah BS Mubarak and other officials.

From the Saudi side, officials from Ministry of Hajj, General Authority of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority were present.

All pilgrims were provided Saudi SIM cards at their embarkation points in India. The pilgrims who arrived by the first flight have been sent to their accommodations, India's consulate in Jeddah said in a statement.

Of the 136,020 Indian pilgrims arriving this year, 100,020 would be coming through the Hajj Committee of India. Saudi Arabian Airlines will carry 49,230 while Air India will transport 50,790 from 21 embarkation points. The remaining 36,000 pilgrims will come through private tour operators.